‘EU is not where the action is!’ Tory MEP explains how Brexit will BOOST UK trade

‘EU is not where the action is!’ Tory MEP explains how Brexit will BOOST UK trade

A Conservative MEP has said that Brexit will allow stop the European Union from “dictating” the UK’s trade policy so that the UK can “share in the growing prosperity of the markets in Asia, Africa and the Americas”.

The Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan has said that Brexit will change the UK's trade position as the European Union is “not where the action is going to be this century”.

Daniel Hannan, the Conservative MEP for south east England told PBS' Free Market series: “The EU is not where the action is going to be this century.

“For Britain which is uniquely the only EU country which sells more outside the EU than to the other member states.

“It has these connections not just to commonwealth countries but really on every continent.

A Conservative MEP has said that Brexit will allow the UK to join growing markets outside the EU (Image: PBS • Getty)

The EU is not where the action is going to be this century

Daniel Hannan

“It seems crazy to allow the EU to dictate our trade and tariff policy and keep us behind this protectionist European wall, rather than us being able to sign our own trade deals and share in the growing prosperity of the markets in Asia, Africa and the Americas.”

The UK hopes to fire up trade deals with the US, Australia and New Zealand and to uphold 40 or so existing EU deals with about 70 markets during the 21-month transition period after Brexit next March.

The Government intends said deals to come into effect in 2020, acting as a buffer for the potential economic fallout after it quits the single market.

Mr Hannan added: “When you join the European Union you give Brussels 100 percent control over your trade policy.

“It imposes your tariffs, it signs the trade deals so this is not a free trade area.”

Britain’s departure from the EU will be the only topic on the menu at the working dinner meeting, which will be an integral part of the informal summit hosted by Austria in September.

The Salzburg summit represents an opportunity for Brexit to be discussed between the EU27’s leaders and Theresa May, which allows the Prime Minister to temporarily sideline Brussels’ negotiator Michel Barnier in order to secure a shift in their guidelines.

At the September summit, Mrs May will be permitted to field questions from her European counterparts in a bid to resolve outstanding issues, such as the Irish border and Gibraltar.